Eric1485 Reviews

Mank (2020)

Mank

[8/10 · 21 November 2020]

"This is a business where the buyer gets nothing for his money but a memory. What he bought still belongs to the man he who sold it. That's the real magic of the movies."

David Fincher puts it all on the line in his latest film, Mank. The result is a gorgeous and heartfelt film that takes the viewer back to 1930's-40's Hollywood.

Gary Oldman is great as the cynical, alcoholic writer who has no filter and rarely has anything nice to say. He is surrounded by a terrific supporting cast that makes each scene and interaction truly enjoyable. It is obvious that everyone involved in this project, took thier roles seriously.

This is a much different film than the gritty, violent, and dark pictures Fincher has become known for. However, the attention to detail, editing, gorgeous cinematography, and use of lighting and sound is still as effective as ever.

I expect Mank to be popular when the Academy Award nominations are announced, as it deserves.

The Platform (2019)

The Platform

[7/10 · 10 April 2020]

"There are 3 kinds of people; the ones above, the ones below, and the ones who fall."

The theme of this film is anything but subtle, it is basically a visual metaphor that lasts an hour and a half. Movies like this can often come off as too heavy-handed and even insulting to viewers. However, Director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia does a nice job of presenting an interesting and engaging narrative, utilizing strong characters and revealing twists and details that add depth to the plot. Even though the concept and theme is a fairly simple one, it does force the viewer to self-reflect and figure out which one of the 3 kinds of people they are.

The Lodge (2019)

The Lodge

[7/10 · 10 April 2020]

The Lodge is a bleak psychological thriller, that explores the emotional and mental impacts resulting from traumatic situations.

Directors/Writers Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz do a terrific job of controlling the tense atmosphere in every scene, never allowing the viewer to get comfortable; it is as if something terrible is lurking within the shadows, just waiting for the perfect moment to reveal itself.

The cinematography of Thimios Bakatakis is absolutely stunning as the setting of the house and snow become characters themselves; with skillfull, claustrophobic shots of the interior, juxtaposed with the spacious snow covered fields, which feel just as restricting as the house. Bakatakis is also the Cinematographer for great films such as The Lobster, Dogtooth, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

The acting was solid throughout the cast but I do want to mention the performances of Riley Keough, and Lia McHugh. Riley's performance was impressive and a vital part of the success of the film. Lia's early scene after a traumatic event was memorable and heartbreaking.

Overall, I enjoyed The Lodge and highly recommend it.

The Influence (2019)

The Influence

[4/10 · 10 April 2020]

Director Denis Rovira van Boekholt and Cinematographer Isaac Vila do a nice job utilizing the setting and visuals to enhance the eerie mood of the story. Unfortunately, there is not much else to enjoy in this film. Pacing was one of the more noticeable drawbacks, as the film is unable to settle into a groove; it felt sloppy and all over the place, making it difficult to stay interested in the story. While the lack of character development created uninteresting and forgettable characters.

Overall, this was a dissapointing film from Netflix.

Child's Play (2019)

Chucky 2.0

[5/10 · 24 June 2019]

While I can appreciate the chances that the filmmakers took, I have to say that overall, I was disappointed in this film. The film seemed too rushed, the characters were flat, and the plot was a mess and felt empty. I am a fan of Aubrey Plaza and her style but she does not have the charisma or camera presence to be the lead actress in a horror film. I do like how they brought the story concept into modern times, but this felt more like another sequel than a reboot.

Child's Play has all the bell and whistles of a shiny new toy, but it is missing one critical element...a soul.

Us (II) (2019)

Review: Us

[7/10 · 19 June 2019]

Jordan Peele takes his viewers down a path of suspense and mystery wrapped in an ominous blanket of impending doom for the main characters. Each scene is filled with visual and auditory clues that suggest something sinister is upcoming, even as small pieces of the story are revealed throughout the movie, there are more questions than answers as the plot thickens. "Us" is a solid and entertaining horror film that capitalizes on smooth pacing, strong acting performances, and great cinematography, The execution of the story itself stumbles toward the end, as the film relies on a great deal of wordy exposition to explain to the audience what is going on and a twist that raises more questions rather than providing a satisfying answer.

Upgrade (2018)

Upgrade

[7/10 · 4 December 2018]

There is a lot to like about Leigh Whannel's futuristic sci-fi film Upgrade, at face value it is an entertaining and stylish revenge murder narrative that is enhanced by a dystopian setting where Artificial Intelligence has all but taken over every aspect of our lives. There seems to be a deeper message underlined throughout the film about how humans are becoming more and more reliant on technology, and the role it plays in our lives, but that is glossed over and not a major focus for this movie. This movie instead focuses on violence, revenge, and action packed fighting scenes with futuristic weaponry. The pacing of this film was smooth as the story transitioned seamlessly from one scene to the next, giving the audience just enough information to keep the plot progressing. The acting is solid, however most of the supporting characters are often pushed to the side and don't bring a lot to the overall story, as it eventually turns out to become a story about one man that will stop at nothing to find the answers he is searching for. Overall, Upgrade is an enjoyable and memorable movie but does seem to fall into a cliché formula that we have all seen before.

Ready Player One (2018)

Entertaining and Fast Paced Action

[7/10 · 14 November 2018]

Ready Player One is an entertaining, fast paced, action filled movie that will you keep you engaged and eager to find out what surprise is around the next corner. The visuals are mesmerizing and spectacular as one minute the characters are racing down a freeway being chased by T-Rex and King Kong, then we see Chucky from "Child's Play" is making a cameo inside of the DeLorean in a dramatic and intense final act, with a humorous stop by the Overlook Hotel along the way. If you can't tell, this movie throws 1980s icons at the audience left and right and is shining with that decade's nostalgia. The majority of this movie is shown inside a gaming world, but there is a narrative and action that that takes place in the real world also. This part of the story feels rushed and there isn't much substance to it, the main characters are far less interesting than their gaming avatars, this is a movie to simply enjoy for what it is. The message of this film seems to be, that the more we are immersed in a digital world, the less connected we become in the real one. It is important to slow down, and enjoy the people and the moments that are happening right before your eyes, instead of just flying to the next gaming mission in a hope to level up and accomplish achievements that in reality, mean very little.

Slender Man (I) (2018)

Slender Man

[3/10 · 1 November 2018]

Slender Man has moments that are solid and have the makings of being a terrific and truly scary film. It presents an eerie atmosphere, as the majority of the scenes are shot at night with dark lit rooms, fog slowly creeping in the background, and ventures into the deep unforgiving woods that forces us to constantly scan the background for a shadowy figure. The acting is sufficient, I thought Julia Goldani Telles stood out and played this role quite well. With all of this going for Slender Man, its main downfall is that it lacks a fluid story that captivates its audiences. The pacing is erratic throughout the film, characters are so busy that I was never able to connect with any of them. Despite some nice visuals and tense moments, the main villain Slender Man also fails to be scary, he comes across as a generic boogeyman that we never really learn much about. Overall, I didn't think this was a bad horror film, it definitely has certain qualities about it that passes as watchable, but I feel like a much better movie is somewhere deep in those woods.

Truth or Dare (I) (2018)

Truth or Dare....

[4/10 · 31 October 2018]

Truth Or Dare has a compelling concept, but it quickly turns into the same cliché-filled teen horror film that we have all seen before. One of the main problems with this movie is the characters, they bring no real substance to the film and it is difficult to be invested in their actions or whether they actually survive or not. The narrative also has a bad habit of jumping all over the place, new conflicts keep arising between the characters as they navigate the film and the pacing does not flow smoothly. There are a few decent scares and tense moments sprinkled throughout the film, but it never quite grips you like a good horror film should.

Halloween (I) (2018)

The Halloween We Have Been Waiting For

[7/10 · 31 October 2018]

Halloween (2018) is able to create its own atmosphere and tone, it does not have the feel of a generic reboot or just another sequel. The atmosphere resembles that of the 1978 classic, while making note of the societal changes that have occurred over the last 40 years. The strength of this film is the impending confrontation between Lauri Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her attacker/brother, Michael Myers. The supporting cast is adequate but they don't bring much substance to the story, and are mostly forgettable characters that are used as convenient plot devices and to fill the audience in with clunky exposition. Luckily, Curtis is still able to carry the bulk of the movie on her shoulders, as she resurrects the terrorized, yet strong lead character that made the original film such a classic. Michael Myers is more savage and barbaric in this film, aimlessly killing most anyone that crosses his path without a clear sense of rhyme or reason. Much like the original, the final act is the strongest and most intense part of the film, and the final result is mostly satisfying. Director David Gordon Green does not try to reinvent the wheel here, he provides us a basic, yet effective slasher movie that is able to stand on its own two feet the entire time. In my opinion, this is the best out of the Halloween sequels, and finishes a distant second to the original source material. I think most Halloween fans, as well as horror fans in general, will appreciate the effort made here to bring another classic Halloween film.

Unsane (2018)

You're CRAZY If You Didn't Enjoy This Movie!

[8/10 · 22 June 2018]

I really enjoyed this movie, it did a great job of keeping me engaged, just as I was beginning to feel comfortable where the story was headed, they threw in something that took the narrative a different route.

The cinematography takes a little getting used to but by the end of the movie it makes sense with the unique angles and shots in relation to what the main character is going through.

Also, Claire Foy was great in this. She played this character perfectly, being able to constantly switch her personality depending upon the situation she was in and the people she was in interacting with, was impressive. Her performance will make you question your own thought process as you follow the story.

The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)

Overall, A Decent and Entertaining Horror Film

[6/10 · 22 June 2018]

The Strangers: Prey at Night has plenty of faults, there are predictable moments, an over reliance on jump scares, and questionable decisions by the family. However, with all the shortcomings, it is a pretty fun and enjoyable movie. There are plenty of intense moments, and stylistic scenes to make this worth watching.

The Revenant (I) (2015)

A beautiful and engaging film from start to finish.

[8/10 · 25 May 2016]

Easily one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and Director Alejandro Inarritu showcase their talents with stunning visuals and perfectly executed scenes from start to finish. The acting was also superb, DiCaprio and Hardy both give memorable performances that were definitely Oscar worthy. The only thing I didn't like was the overall pacing of the movie, some parts seemed to drag on a little longer than they probably needed to but in the end this was a very good movie that was deserving of all the praise it received.

One of the best movies of 2015.